MOSCOW, March 1st, 2004 (RIA Novosti) - Mikhail Fradkov's candidacy will be forwarded for premiership, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We are facing an uneasy task of offering a candidacy of a government chairman to the country. It should be a highly professional and honest person, having good experience in various spheres of state activity. We have come to an unanimous conclusion that it can be Mikhail Fradkov, Russia's Ambassador to the European Union in the ministerial rank," the Russian president said.